Select Local Merchants

Alora Ambiance Spa owner Patricia Rivas has worked as a licensed aesthetician and skincare specialist for nearly a decade. Along the way, she's picked up advanced certifications in treatments such as cellulite-smoothing ionithermie and IPL hair removal, teamed up with Dr. Thomaso Skorupski, and assembled a staff of talented hairstylists, nail artists, and waxing specialists spread throughout two studios. There, staffers dole out specialty services, including eyelash perms and extensions, exfoliating salt-glow treatments, and facials that infuse faces with more oxygen and nutrients than a granola-filled balloon. Beyond stocking the shelves with aesthetic aids from such brands as Paul Mitchell, Matrix, and Pravana, Rivas is also the creator of the Ayurveda by Alora skincare line, which includes soap- and- sulfate-free cleansers, as well as body creams infused with white tea and vitamins C and E.

Alora Ambiance Spa owner Patricia Rivas has worked as a licensed aesthetician and skincare specialist for nearly a decade. Along the way, she's picked up advanced certifications in treatments such as cellulite-smoothing ionithermie and IPL hair removal, teamed up with Dr. Thomaso Skorupski, and assembled a staff of talented hairstylists, nail artists, and waxing specialists spread throughout two studios. There, staffers dole out specialty services, including eyelash perms and extensions, exfoliating salt-glow treatments, and facials that infuse faces with more oxygen and nutrients than a granola-filled balloon. Beyond stocking the shelves with aesthetic aids from such brands as Paul Mitchell, Matrix, and Pravana, Rivas is also the creator of the Ayurveda by Alora skincare line, which includes soap- and- sulfate-free cleansers, as well as body creams infused with white tea and vitamins C and E.

Using a phone-based Q&A, Skinprint's cosmetic chemists educate customers about their own skin's structure and functioning (or "skinprint") and help identify products that address personal dermatological needs. The online boutique sells Skinprint products, developed sans animal or sibling testing to power head-to-toe pore purification with natural botanical blends rather than parabens, sulfates, and other potentially harmful substances. Choose from anti-agers like Eyedyllic, a dark-circle-destroying, wrinkle-erasing eye cream ($52.50), protective basics like the Ultra Sheer SPF 20 SunScreen ($29.99), and the Acne Treatment Pen, which reduces the appearance of blemishes, redness, post-Funyun regret, and other inflammation symptoms within 24 hours ($79).

Hair Conditioner: Ticket to a Molecular Makeover
Your hair?s sure to feel silkier once your stylist conditions it?learn why with Groupon?s close-up look at conditioner.
Although human hair may look smooth, each strand's outer layer?the cuticle?is actually quite rough. Under dry conditions, the tiny scales that cover its surface become raised and brittle, causing hairs to tangle and lose their shine. Conditioner aims to correct this problem by bonding a particular class of molecules, called cationic surfactants, to the cuticle. This is possible because keratin, the protein that makes up most of the hair shaft, bristles with negative ions, which attract the positively charged surfactants, coating each thread in a thin film that weighs it down and reduces frizz. (The negative charge of keratin is also what causes static whenever positive ions are stripped from the hair?the static that makes it possible to stick a balloon to the wall or to power a miner's headlamp.)
The other ingredients in conditioner don't always need ions to do their jobs well. Humectants suck in water from the surrounding air, thereby moisturizing the hair, and oils simply penetrate the cuticle. Glossers coat the hair with light-reflecting polymers, increasing shine, whereas other ingredients raise the acidity level of the conditioner, which helps protect the hair's protein structure.

The surgeons at New York Group for Plastic Surgery use their skills in cosmetic and reconstructive medicine to help their patients restore their appearances after illnesses or injuries and look better in bathing suits or driver's-license photos. Common procedures include face-lifts and nose jobs, as well as tummy tucks and breast augmentation. They also supervise an array of noninvasive treatments, such as Ultherapy, beauty injections, and facials, in their medical spa.